Revelation Ch1v1-8 - Revealed Blessings

So, turn with me please in your Bibles. If you haven't got a Bible, there's plenty just at the stand there.

It will help you if you do have a Bible, and it will help you to see that what I am saying is also from the Bible.

So we're going to be looking at the letter, the book of Revelation.

We're also going to be studying it in our home groups, and the way we're doing it in our home groups,

we're looking at the passage that we're going to be looking at on a Sunday.

So, on Wednesday just past, we looked at the first part of the first chapter.

So hopefully, if you came, some of these things will be fresh in your mind, and you'll understand them.

If you missed it, don't worry, all will be made clear. Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Now, I don't want anybody reading it. I want you to be listening.

But there it is. If you didn't pick up your copy, there's plenty as you came in through the door this morning.

So let's read Revelation, chapter 1, verses 1 to 8.

Revelation 1:1–8

The Revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place.

He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw.

That is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy.

And blessed are those who hear it and take it to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.

John, to the seven churches in the province of Asia, grace and peace to you from him who is and who was and who is to come,

and from the seven spirits before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness,

the firstborn from the dead and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father.

To him be glory and power forever and ever. Amen.

Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him,

and all peoples on earth will mourn because of him.

So shall it be. Amen.

Amen.

I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.

Let's pray.

We are created.

You, Almighty God, are our creator.

And we need you.

We need your help.

We need the power of your Spirit

to take the words that we read and think about together

and push them deep into our hearts and lives

so that we are filled afresh

with the vision of the Almighty God,

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

so that we live lives

that are faithful towards you

and honour you.

Help us now, we pray.

In Jesus' name.

Amen.

I recently received an urgent message from a friend in India.

Johnny,

please pray for six young mothers

who've been arrested at a birthday gathering in a nearby village.

Their crime?

They were all followers of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Imagine, for four weeks,

they were denied bail,

left in a cell,

separated from their husbands and children.

Thankfully, I received another message to say they've all been released.

But it's a reminder of what to expect in some parts of the world

when you follow Jesus Christ.

Now, you and I may not fear arrest or prison this week.

But if we are Christians and if we're part of this church,

we do face an increasing opposition and persecution.

Being a Christian today is tough.

It's not easy.

The voice of the church is silenced

while a secular agenda is promoted.

Christianity, we are told,

has had its day.

It's finished.

It's over.

Our views of sexuality and gender are outdated.

Our message of a gospel about repenting and turning in faith

is completely irrelevant.

It's time to move on.

You see, it's hard, isn't it,

to be a witness for Christ.

It's costly.

You may feel isolated at work,

perhaps ignored by friends

or even misunderstood by family.

It can be lonely.

Christianity is for losers.

Christ and his church are finished.

That's the message we get.

And of course, this is nothing new.

As John, the author of this book of Revelation,

as he wrote,

Christians at this time in the first century

were living under the rule of the Roman Empire

and the emperor,

Nero.

A great fire had broken out in Rome

and Nero blamed it on the Christians.

He found their beliefs

anti-social

and it was an excuse to get rid of them.

Hundreds were arrested and convicted

for a crime they never committed.

One historian at the time,

a Roman historian,

Tacitus explained it like this.

Mockery was heaped on them in their deaths.

They were covered in the skins of wild beasts,

torn to death by dogs,

crucified or set ablaze,

so that when night time fell,

they lit up everything like torches.

Human street lamps ablaze.

Nero opened up his own gardens for this spectacle

and gave a show in the arena

where he mingled with the crowd

or stood in the garb of a charioteer in a chariot.

Being a Christian is hard.

And that's why

we've been given the book of Revelation.

This book has been given to

encourage believers

today who are facing

trials and struggles.

Rather than a Christian manual

to predict the future,

it is a pastoral letter

to strengthen

the church.

That's an important phrase.

We'll say it much

through our studies.

It isn't a manual

to predict the future.

It's a pastoral letter

to strengthen

and fortify the church.

So,

let's get straight into Revelation

and see

how we can be strengthened

and encouraged.

Three things we're going to look at.

God's perspective revealed,

God's servants blessed,

and God's victory assured.

God's perspective revealed,

God's servants blessed,

and God's victory assured.

First then,

God's perspective revealed.

Now, I'll admit,

if you've read it or flicked through it,

Revelation can be confusing.

There's a lot of strange creatures.

There's a lot of blood.

There are colourful visions.

And it can be hard to understand

what's it all about.

In fact,

some teachers,

if you were to listen to them today

and read their books,

it's presented like

they've been given

a special code

to unlock its hidden meaning.

And we're like,

what's the special code?

Well,

Revelation hasn't

been written

to confuse

or conceal.

It was written

to ordinary believers

just like us.

And it's meant to

reveal

and

unveil.

Look at verse 1.

The revelation

from

Jesus Christ,

which God gave him

to show his servants

what must soon

take place.

Revelation

simply means

to

reveal.

It's in the word itself

to reveal

or

make known.

It's like

the pulling back

of a curtain

in the morning time

where you just go

whoosh

and the sun

comes blazing through.

Well,

we hope it does

anyway.

It unveils

what is hidden.

Now,

this unveiling

comes to us

through the word

of God.

There's a chain

of communication

that helps us

seize it.

Follow with me

in verse 1.

Follow this chain

of communication.

The revelation

from

Jesus Christ,

which God

gave

Jesus

to show

his servants

what must

soon take place.

He,

that's Jesus,

made it known

by sending

his angel

to his servant

John.

So,

we can follow

the chain,

can't we?

God

revealed it

to Jesus

who revealed it

to his angel

who revealed it

to John

who wrote it

all down

to reveal it

to God's

servants.

servants.

That's us.

Christians

today are

God's

servants

and he's

made known

his word

to us.

He's revealed,

he's unveiled

what was

concealed.

That's how

all scripture

should be seen.

It's God's

word

unveiled,

revealed

to us

by him.

So,

what's the

great revelation?

what is God

revealing

to us?

What is being

unveiled behind

the curtain

as it were?

Well,

we get a glimpse

of heaven's

perspective.

Let's look at

verse 1 again.

The revelation

from Jesus

Christ

which God

gave him

to show

his servants,

that's us,

what must

soon

take place.

Now,

that little

phrase,

what must

soon

take place,

is what

scripture

refers to

as the

end times

or sometimes

called the

last days.

It's the

period of

time between

the resurrection

of Jesus

and the

return of

Jesus.

Nearly

2,000 years

ago,

Jesus was

raised from

the grave.

He hasn't

yet returned,

but one day

he will

return.

But it's

that period

of time,

what must

soon take

place is

this period

of time

between the

resurrection

of Jesus

and the

return of

Jesus.

And we're

somewhere along

that line.

We're living

in that age

today.

Jesus has

been raised,

but he hasn't

yet come,

and we're

living somewhere

along that

line,

because we

don't know

when he's

coming back.

Look at

verse 2.

John testifies

to everything

he saw.

as we

read through

Revelation,

we'll see

that John

receives a

series of

visions that

enables him

and us to

see what

is going on

in the world

and what we

can expect to

happen.

Of course,

we're not

given all the

minute details.

We aren't

given kind of

like what's

happening next

week or next

year or in

ten years'

time or on

such and such

a date.

But we are

given a big

picture.

But this is

where we need

to be very,

very careful.

Revelation

isn't to be

used as a

manual to

predict the

future.

It's not

like kind

of a

Christian

version of

reading your

cards or

going to a

palm reader

and predicting

what your

future is.

That's how

many people

do.

They flick

through all

kinds of

things.

Oh, a

blood-red moon.

Do you know

what that

means?

Oh, a

plague.

There's been

a virus.

Will I

tell you

what that

means?

No, it's

not this

kind of

picture of

the future

and we

know all

the details

of what's

going on.

No, it's

showing us

what is

happening in

history and

in the

world from

God's

vantage point

because he's

the maker

of the

world and

he sees it

all from

the beginning

to the

end.

Sometimes

John will

see into

heaven.

Sometimes

he hears

a voice

from heaven

but each

time God

is revealing

to us

what is

happening

from God's

perspective.

You see,

every time we

turn on the

television,

every time we

scroll through

our social

media,

what do we

get?

We're getting

a view,

an opinion

of the world

from an

earthly

perspective.

Every news

program,

every tweet,

every post,

is just a

commentary from

somebody's

limited,

self-focused

life.

But when we

read Revelation,

God is

inviting us to

see the world

from heaven's

perspective.

It's as if God

is saying to

you, look,

pull back the

curtains, let

me show you

what is really

going on.

You think the

world's leaders

run this place?

Putin and

Biden and

the UN and

everybody else?

Well, you

read this and

let me show you

who is really

in charge.

You think the

church is

insignificant,

that the world

has rubbished

the church and

there's no place

for it?

Well, let me

show you what's

going to outlast

every single

kingdom.

You think

Christianity has

had its day

that it's for

losers?

Well, let me

show you who's

going to win.

You think this

world is all

there is that

we just live

and we die

and that's it,

end of story?

You ain't seen

nothing yet.

Let me show

you the new

creation where

everything is

put right.

You see, as we

read Revelation,

it's like one of

those unveilings

where somebody

gets to pull

the cord.

I'd love to be

the one to do

that.

You pull the

cord and the

curtains wish

open, don't

they?

Well, this is

what Revelation

is.

God is pulling

the cord,

the curtains

unveil, what

was hidden and

concealed is now

unveiled and

revealed.

We are

invited to

come and see

the world from

God's perspective.

and if you

want to know

what's going

on in the

world and

what we can

expect,

well, come

back next

week and

the week

after as we

continue to

look through

Revelation.

So, God's

perspective

revealed.

Second, God's

servants

blessed.

You see, the

purpose of

this unveiling,

this revelation

is to bless

God's people

who are under

attack and

feel they're

losers and

nothing's

happening and

nothing's

working.

Verse 3,

blessed is

the one who

reads aloud the

words of this

prophecy and

blessed are

those who hear

it and take

it to heart

what is written

in it because

the time is

near.

To be

blessed,

is to

know and

experience

God's

favour in

our life.

It's to

enjoy all

of his

blessings.

In other

words, reading

Revelation is

not to be

used to

speculate about

the future.

We are to

go away, we

are to leave

this building

blessed and

encouraged.

As we see

what's going

on from God's

perspective, yes,

there will be

parts that we

will find

difficult.

But if we

persevere in

reading it and

studying it, we're

going to come

away blessed.

We are going

to experience

God's favour

in our lives.

So rather than

look at

Revelation and

go, you know

what, I don't

know what this

is about, what's

the point, I'm

not coming next

week.

It's too

complicated.

Not getting

into it.

rather than

ignore Revelation,

see the

promise of

God.

Verse 3,

blessed is the

one who reads

aloud the

words of this

prophecy and

we will read

aloud the

words of this

prophecy each

week so that

we can be

blessed.

blessed.

But how this

blessing is

experienced is

crucial.

You see, it's

not just a

mechanical reading

of Revelation that

we kind of turn

up, we read it

aloud, we hear the

words and we

think, oh that's

it, I'm blessed

now.

No, look what it

says.

End of verse 3.

Blessed are

those who hear

it and what?

Take to heart

what is written

in it.

We're to take

it to heart.

It's another way

of saying we're

actually to reflect

on it.

Not just to

listen to it on

Sunday morning,

but through the

week, reflect on

it, meditate on

it, study it,

come along to

home groups and

explore it a bit

further.

We are to obey

the words of

this revelation.

And as we

listen to it, it's

going to shape

our lives and

transform us to

help us to live

life in God's

world.

As heaven's

perspective is

unfolded before

us, it's going

to strengthen

you.

It's going to

encourage you to

live your life as

a Christian, at

work, in school,

in your family.

It will enable

you, when the

hard times come,

to persevere and

to push on

through.

It's going to

bless you.

You see, reading

Revelation is not

an intellectual

exercise to gain

more information

or to batter

somebody over the

head with some

wonderful meaning

of the future.

God's

love.

It's going to

fill you with

peace and

grace and

hope and

confidence and

assurance.

That's what I

need today.

That's what the

church needs

today.

We need the

blessing of God

and we have

been promised

it.

So, the

revelation which

comes to us

is going to

bless us

because,

number three,

the big

blessing is

God's victory

is assured.

This revelation

given to John

has been written

down.

Look, verse

four.

John, to

the seven

churches in

the province

of Asia.

That's modern

Turkey.

Now, we'll

get to these

seven churches

over the next

few weeks.

They're in

chapters two

and three.

If you just

turn a page,

you'll see to

the church in

Ephesus, to

the church in

Smyrna and

so on.

We'll look at

these seven

churches.

But what was

written to

those seven

churches then

in the first

century is

written to

the church

today in

all times

and in

all places,

including

Carigoline

Baptist

Church.

It's God's

word to

his church,

to his

believers.

This letter

then, from

John, he

wants us to

see who is

the ultimate

author.

It's a

letter from

God to

us to

strengthen us.

Look at the

rest of

verse four.

grace and

peace to

you from

him who

is and

who was

and who

is to

come.

It's a

message, a

letter from

the sovereign

father, from

him, from

God the

father who

is and

who was

and who

is to

come.

This is

the self

existing

God.

No one

created

God.

Someone

created you,

God created

you, but

no one

created

God.

Nobody

thought up

God.

He has

no beginning

and he

has no

end.

Get your

head around

that one.

Verse eight.

He says,

I am the

alpha

and the

omega.

the

A to

Z, says

the Lord

almighty, who

is and who

was and who

is to come, the

almighty.

He is the

first in

history and

he is the

last in

history.

There was

never a

time when

God was

not there

and there

will never be

a time when

God is not

there.

He is,

verse eight.

The almighty.

He owns

all things.

He rules

all things.

He endures

over all

things.

He is

over every

nation and

every kingdom

and he

outlasts

every person

and ruler.

This is

my world,

says God.

This is

my

universe.

I am

over your

life and

over every

single thing

that happens.

you may

feel it's

out of

control,

but I

am in

control.

I know

what you

will face

and I

know what

you will

need.

I am

working out

everything for

your good

and my

glory.

I am

your

sovereign

father.

This is

who it's

from,

but not

just from

the sovereign

father.

look at

end of

verse 4.

Grace and

peace to

you from

him who

is and

who was

and who

is to

come,

and who

else?

From the

seven

spirits

before his

throne.

Well, I

thought there

was just

one spirit.

Why are

there seven

spirits?

Well, turn

with me.

We looked

at this,

I hope you

did in your

home groups

at least

anyway,

Isaiah

Isaiah 11 · chapter mention

chapter 11.

Just have

a flick

back to

Isaiah

Isaiah 11 · chapter mention

chapter 11.

It's

almost in

the middle

of your

Bible.

Isaiah

Isaiah 11 · chapter mention

chapter 11.

Here the

prophet Isaiah

is speaking

about the

coming

servant of

the Lord.

and it

tells us

something

about him.

We'll

pick it

up in

verse 2,

chapter 11

verse 2.

When the

servant of

the Lord

comes,

look at

what we're

told.

The

spirit of

the Lord

will rest

on him.

The

spirit of

wisdom and

the spirit

of understanding.

The

spirit of

counsel and

the spirit

of might.

The

spirit of

the knowledge

and the

spirit of

the fear

of the

Lord.

And he

will delight

in the

fear of

the Lord.

In other

words,

the fullness

of the

spirit will

be on

this

servant.

So it's

not seven

different

spirits.

It's the

one Holy

Spirit in

all his

perfection

and

completeness.

let's go

back to

Revelation.

And that's

John's

point here.

He

introduces us

to the

one Holy

Spirit in

all his

fullness to

say to us

that the

Holy Spirit

is for

us.

All his

wisdom,

all his

understanding,

all his

counsel,

all his

might,

all his

knowledge,

all his

fear of

the Lord,

the spirit

of the

Lord,

who knows

all things,

who sees

all things,

and is at

work in

all things,

is for

you.

You may

feel alone,

hopeless and

helpless.

You may

struggle and

lose heart,

but I am the

eternal spirit

before the

throne.

I am

ensuring that

God's rule

in heaven

will be done

on earth.

I will

not abandon

you in

your struggle.

I will

not leave

you in

your

suffering.

I am

present with

you in

all my

fullness

and

completeness.

So this

revelation is

from the

sovereign

father,

the eternal

spirit,

and third,

it's from

the,

whoops,

we missed

out one,

the conquering

son.

Verse

five,

it's

from

Jesus

Christ,

who is

the

faithful

witness,

the

firstborn

from the

dead,

and the

ruler of

the kings

of the

earth.

Jesus

is the

faithful

witness.

He lived

his life

in perfect

obedience to

the father.

Despite

all his

sufferings

that he

went through,

he faithfully

followed.

And

through his

work,

he defeated

the fear

of death.

He is the

firstborn

from the

dead.

He destroyed

the powers

of darkness.

He is the

conquering

son,

who,

look at the

end of

verse five,

is now the

ruler of

the kings

of the

earth.

He's the

one in

charge.

He's the

one who

sits on

the throne.

Now,

says Jesus,

I want you

to know

what I've

done for you,

and what I've

called you

to be.

This is

what my

suffering has

achieved for

you.

Do you see

what it says

in the middle

of the second

part of

verse five?

To him

who loves

us and

has freed

us from

our sins

by his

blood.

Jesus has

died for

us and

dealt with

our sin

once and

for all.

verse six,

and has

made us

to be a

kingdom

and priests

to serve

his God

and Father,

to him be

glory and

power forever

and ever.

Amen.

Jesus is the

faithful witness

and now he

turns to his

church, to

people like

us, and he

says, I've

freed you.

I've dealt

with your

sin so that

you today

become a

kingdom

and priests

to serve

God

and Father.

You

are now

my faithful

witnesses.

I know

it's going

to be hard

for you.

I know

that as you

be my

faithful witness

you're going

to suffer.

I know

that for

some of you

following me

it's going

to cost

your life.

But just

as my

suffering

ended in

victory,

just as I

was the

firstborn

to come

through

death,

so you

will follow

me and

come through

death and

your suffering

will end

in victory.

Building the

kingdom of

God will be

costly,

but it will

end in

glory.

There's going

to be blood,

sweat and

tears, but

victory is

assured.

You might

feel like your

efforts are

useless.

You may

feel you

make little

impact, not

even a

dint.

You can

think, what's

the point?

We're on the

losing side,

nothing's

happening.

But remember

Jesus, I

am over

death and

darkness.

I have

won the

battle and

you are

on the

winning side.

I am the

all-conquering

son.

You see,

being a

Christian is

hard.

Look at

us for a

minute.

Look around

you.

Go on,

look around.

We're just a

tiny bunch,

aren't we?

We often

say it,

rattling

around in a

big hole.

Nothing

special,

grand.

No one's

making the

headlines in

the newspaper.

Nobody's

banging on

the door

saying, can

I come

in?

Can I

join too?

No one's

giving us a

platform to

say, would

you please

come and

share with

us the

gospel?

We're not

flavour of

the month.

We're not

getting award

for community

of the year.

In fact,

in multiple

ways every

day, we

are subtly

ignored,

quietly

hushed.

The church

has had

its day.

Christianity

is finished.

Go home.

Do something

useful with

your life.

Well,

says God,

pull back

the curtains.

Let me

give you

my perspective.

Verse 7,

look, and I

want us to

do this.

You go

outside through

those doors

and I want

you to look

and look up

and I

guarantee

there'll be

clouds.

There's never

blue skies.

Look at the

clouds and be

reminded of

this.

Look,

he,

Jesus,

is coming

with the

clouds.

The all

powerful,

all-conquering,

victorious

champion

is coming.

And every

eye will

see him.

Every

person.

Even

those who

pierced

him,

his enemies.

And all

peoples on

earth will

mourn.

All those

who opposed

Christ and

his church

will bow

down before

the King

of Kings

and the

Lord of

Lords.

and we

will be

on the

victory

side.

Revelation

is not a

Christian

manual to

predict the

future.

It's a

pastoral

letter to

strengthen

the church

and what

we read

in Revelation

will show

us what we

can expect

to happen.

There will

be opposition

but let us

not lose

heart.

Victory

is assured.

God is

for you.

He is

with the

church,

the

sovereign

father,

the

eternal

spirit,

the

conquering

son.

We are

not losers.

We are

winners.

Let's

pray.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Father,

forgive us

because we

see life

from our

limited,

self-centered

perspective.

We busy

ourselves

with all

kinds of

things.

We can't

even see

in front

of the

next day.

and yet

we pretend

as if we

are in

control

of

everything.

Forgive

us

and cause

us to

lift our

eyes

to see

the

almighty

God,

Father,

Son and

Spirit.

Help us to

see his

perspective,

that he

will

and

will

and

will ensure

that we

go to

victory

and to

glory.

Encourage us

today,

fortify us

and help us

in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Amen.

There's a

mystery

about much

of what we're

looking at.

That mystery

will be

unveiled in

part.

But part

of that

mystery is